Folding rule



J. W. HELLER.

FOLDING RULE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1921.

, 4 8 8 I I Patented 0013. 18,

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John (Um. HelleP 0 5 ATTORNEY.

IN VEN TOR.

JOHN WM. HELLER. OF BUENA, NEVZ JERSEY.

FOLDING RULE.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JOHN 1 M. l-lnLLi-ui, citizen of the United States. residing at Buena, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Rules, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to new and useful improvements in folding rules and relates more specifically to a combined foot rule, try square, bevel protractor and divider or compasses, and the particular object of the invention is the provision of an instrument of this character which is cheap in manufacture, reliable in operation. and which is obtained by simply articulating a link bar to two hingedly adjoining rule members or sections. means being provided for making this articulation temporarily rigid in any desired relative angular displacement of the link bar connected rule sections.

My invention will best be understood when described in connection with the accom panying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the combination tool in its simplest form, in folded-up position, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a four-section rule in use when establishing an angle of 90.

For the purposes of my invention, I preferably use the ordinary 2-foot rule, comprising four members or sections, of which in Fig. 2 only the sections 1, 2 and 3 are shown, hinged together in the conventional manner to fold into a short compass for convenience in ca rrying. The right extremity of section 2 is hinged to section 1 by a hinge 4 and its left extremity is hinged to an underlying section, invisible in the drawing, by a hinge 5 operating perpendicularly to the hinge 4, and this invisible section in turn is connected at its other end to the section 3 by a hinge identical to, and in axial alinement with the hinge 4. as well known in the art.

An elongated fiat link bar 6, preferably of sheet metal, having a central elongated slot 7 therein slightly curved-out at one end, as at 8, is stationarily fulcrumed to the narrow side of the rule member 1 in suitable manner, for instance by a headed pin 9, and is shiftably articulated to the respective narrow side of the hingedly adjoining rule section 2 by means of a suitable clamping member, for instance a screw pin and nut, or, as shown, a. knurled thumb screw 10 threading Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18. 19721. 1921. Serial No. 459,046.

into the section and whose shank moves Ireely 1n said link slot. The link bar is marked with indicia 11 referring to different angles, such as 80. 45, 90 and so on. for readily adjusting the parts to the desired angles. l

n For setting the device to a certain angle, Ior instance as shown to 90. the free ends of the rule sections 1 and 2 are drawn apart until the shank of the set screw 10 registers with the 90 mark on the slotted link bar. when by tightening the screw 10 the parts are immovably held, the two sections including between them an angle of 90. I may also provide positioning marks let on the sect-ion 2 for exact registry with the angle indicia 11 on the link bar.

In laying out or establishing angles on certain work in the case of a four section rule it will be found helpful to keep the rule section 8 folded flat against the companion section (the one not shown in the drawing) andthis latter section parallelly underneath section 2, to steady the device on the work piece.

Steel points 12 and 13 respectively extend from the free ends of the rule sections 1 and 2, which allows of the device being used as a divider or a pair of compasses.

In folded-up position of the tool. the screw shank engages in the angularlv directed short slot branch 8, as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2, by way of example, the dashdot lines diagrzunmatically indicate the posltion of the parts when laying out an angle of 135, and the dash-dash lines when laving out an angle of 45. N

This combination tool will be found verv convenient and valuable in a variety of ways in the work shop. Y

lVhat I claim as new and by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character set forth, in combination with a conventional foldablc foot rule, presenting hinged sections. an elongated flat link bar having a central elongated slot therein, means associated with one of said rule sections for stationarily fulcruming said link bar near its one extremity to this rule section, and means associated with the hingedly adjoining rule section for shiftably articulating and temporarily fix ing said link bar to this second said rule section.

2. In a device of the character set forth,

desire to secure in combination with a conventional foot rule of the foldable section type, a fiat link bar having marked thereon angle indicia and the hingedly adjoining rule section and for temporarily fixing the parts in their relatlve shifted position, comprising clamping means associated with the second said rule section and adapted to releasabl i clampingly cooperate with said link bar, the second said rule section bearing setting marks adapted for registrywith said angle indieia, and pin points extending from the free outer end faces of the said two hingedly adjoiningi rule sections.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

JOHN *M. HELLER. 

